HCS/SCS/SB 616 - This act modifies several provisions relating to taxation. COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS Current law authorizes community improvement districts (CIDs) to impose a sales tax on purchases made within such districts if approved by a majority of voters living withing the district. This act requires such sales taxes to be approved by a majority of the voters of the municipality in which the district is located. (Section 67.1545) This provision is identical to a provision contained within SB 646 (2020) and SS#2/SCS/HCS/HB 1854 (2020). TRANSIENT GUEST TAXES This act authorizes the City of Springfield to submit to the voters a transient guest tax not to exceed 7.5% of the charges per occupied room per night. Such tax shall be used solely for capital investments that can be demonstrated to increase the number of overnight visitors. Upon approval by the voters, the city may adopt rules and regulations for the internal collection of the tax, or may enter into an agreement with the Department of Revenue for the collection of the tax. (Section 94.842) This provision is identical to SB 387 (2019) and HB 1073 (2019), and to a provision contained in HCS/SS/SCS/SB 570 (2020), HCS/SS/SCS/SB 594 (2020), HCS/SCS/SB 725 (2020), SCS/SB 770 (2020), SS/SCS/SBs 46 & 50 (2019), SCS/HCS/HB 674 (2019), SCS/HB 761 (2019), and SCS/HB 1700 (2020), and is substantially similar to a provision contained in HCS/SS#2/SB 704 (2020) and SS#2/SCS/HCS/HB 1854 (2020). TAX INCREMENT FINANCING This act modifies the definitions of "blighted area" and "conservation area", and creates new definitions for "port infrastructure projects", "retail area", and "retail infrastructure projects". (Section 99.805) This act modifies local tax increment financing projects by providing that a study shall be conducted by a party other than the proponent of the redevelopment plan, which details how the area meets the definition of an area eligible to receive tax increment financing. This act also provides that retail areas, as defined in the act, shall not receive tax increment financing unless such financing is exclusively utilized to fund retail infrastructure projects, as defined in the act, or unless such area is a blighted or conservation area. (Section 99.810) For tax increment financing projects approved or amended after December 31, 2020, the City of St. Louis may provide for the deposit of up to 10% of the tax increment financing revenues generated by the project into a Strategic Infrastructure for Economic Growth Fund to be established by the city. Moneys deposited in such fund may be expended by the city for the purpose of funding capital investments in public infrastructure that is located in a census tract that is defined as a low-income community or is eligible to be designated as a Qualified Opportunity Zone under federal law. (Section 99.821) This act prohibits new projects from being authorized in any Greenfield area. (Section 99.843) This act allows a school district to vote to exclude the school district's operating levy for school purposes from the definition of "levies upon taxable real property in such redevelopment project by taxing districts" for the purpose of funding tax increment financing districts. Before the school board may vote on such exclusion, the question shall be placed on the agenda at two consecutive meetings of the school board, and public comments on the matter shall be allowed at both meetings. The school board may then vote upon the matter. If at least a two-thirds majority of the school board votes in favor of removing the operating levy from the definition, the definition shall not include the district's operating levy for school purposes. (Section 99.846) This act also prohibits new projects from being authorized in an area designated as a flood plain by the Federal Emergency Management Agency unless such projects are located in 1) Jackson, Platte, or Clay counties; 2) the cities of Springfield or St. Joseph, 3) in a port district, provided such financing is utilized for port infrastructure projects; or 4) in a levee or drainage district created prior to August 28, 2020. This provision shall not apply to tax increment financing projects or districts approved prior to June 30, 2021, and such projects may be modified, amended, or expanded by not more than forty percent of such projects' original projected cost. Projects in flood plains shall not be authorized in St. Charles County unless the redevelopment area actually abuts a river or major waterway, as described in the act. (Section 99.847) Current law allows districts and counties imposing a property tax for the purposes of providing emergency services to be entitled to reimbursement from the special allocation fund of a portion of the district's or county's tax increment. For projects approved after August 28, 2020, this act modifies such provision to allow reimbursement to ambulance districts, fire protection districts, and governing bodies operating a 911 center providing dispatch services and which impose economic activity taxes for such purposes. (Section 99.848) These provisions are substantially similar to HB 1612 (2020), HCS/SS/SCS/SB 108 (2019), and HB 698 (2019), and to provisions contained in HCS/SS/SCS/SB 570 (2020) and HCS/SS#2/SB 704 (2020), and are similar to SB 871 (2020), SB 311 (2019), HB 32 (2019), and SS/SCS/SB 859 (2018). WOOD ENERGY TAX CREDIT Current law provides for a tax credit for the production of certain wood-energy processed wood products, with such tax credit to expire on June 30, 2020. This act extends the tax credit until June 30, 2026. (Section 135.305) This provision is identical to SB 674 (2020) and HB 2274 (2020), and to a provision contained in HCS/SS/SCS/SB 570 (2020), HCS/SS#2/SB 704 (2020), and SB 454 (2019). DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTER TAX CREDIT Current law authorizes a tax credit for contributions to domestic violence shelters in an amount equal to fifty percent of the contribution, with the maximum annual amount of tax credits limited to $2 million. This act increases the tax credit from fifty percent of the amount contributed to seventy percent beginning July 1, 2021, and increases the limit on the cumulative amount of tax credits claimed by all taxpayers in a fiscal year to $4 million beginning July 1, 2021. This act also adds a definition of "rape crisis center" to allow taxpayers to receive tax credits for contributions to such facilities. (Section 135.550) This provision is identical to a provision contained in HCS/SS#2/SB 704 (2020), and is substantially similar to SB 958 (2020) and HCS/HB 2349 (2020), and to a provision contained in SS#2/SCS/SB 648 (2020). WIND ENERGY PROPERTY TAX Beginning January 1, 2021, this act provides a depreciation table for the purposes of assessing all real and tangible personal property, excluding land, associated with a project that uses wind energy directly to generate electricity. Such depreciation percentages range from 40% in the first year following construction of the property to 35% in the fifth year following construction of the property and each year thereafter. (Sections 137.123 and 153.030) These provisions are identical to provisions contained in HB 2454 (2020). ROLLING STOCK TAX CREDIT Current law provides for a tax credit for eligible expenses incurred in the manufacture, maintenance, or improvement of a freight line company's qualified rolling stock, with such tax credit to expire on August 28, 2020. This act extends such credit until August 28, 2026. (Section 137.1018) This provision is identical to SB 1081 (2020) and to a provision contained in SB 454 (2019). RIPLEY COUNTY HOSPITAL DISTRICT This act provides that, upon the dissolution of a county hospital district in Ripley County levying a sales tax for the purpose of funding the district, the sales tax shall be automatically repealed and twenty-five percent of the funds remaining in the special trust fund shall be distributed to the county public health center and seventy-five percent shall be distributed to a federally qualified health center located in the county. (Section 205.202) This provision is identical to HB 2376 (2020) and to a provision contained in HCS/SS#2/SB 704 (2020), SS/SCS/HCS/HB 1682 (2020), SCS/HB 1700 (2020), and SS#2/SCS/HCS/HB 1854 (2020). UNIFORM ATHLETE AGENTS ACT This act modifies provisions of the Uniform Athlete Agents Act. Current law defines an athlete agent as an individual who enters into an agency contract with a student athlete or recruits or solicits a student athlete to enter into an agency contract. Under this act, an athlete agent is defined as an individual who directly or indirectly recruits or solicits a student athlete to enter into an agency contract or, for compensation, procures employment or offers, promises, attempts, or negotiates to obtain employment for a student athlete as a professional athlete or member of a professional sports team or organization. An athlete agent shall also mean a person providing certain services to a student athlete, as set forth in the act, including serving the student in an advisory capacity on a matter related to finance, business pursuits, or career management decisions, unless such person is an employee of an educational institution acting exclusively as an employee of the institution. An athlete agent shall not include an individual who acts solely on behalf of a professional sports team or organization, or is a licensed, registered, or certified professional and offers or provides services to a student athlete customarily provided by members of the profession, unless such person meets certain requirements set forth in the act. (Section 436.218) Under this act, an applicant for registration as an athlete agent shall submit an application to the Director of the Division of Professional Registration that shall be in the name of an individual and shall include certain information set forth in the act, including each social media account with which the applicant or the applicant's business or employer is affiliated. An applicant who is registered as an athlete agent in another state may apply for registration as an athlete agent, by submitting certain information to the Director. The Director shall issue a certificate of registration to an applicant registered in another state who applies for registration under the act, if the Director determines that the application and registration requirements of the other state are substantially similar to or more restrictive than the requirements of this act, and if the registration has not been revoked or suspended and no action is pending against the applicant or the applicant's registration in any state. The Director shall cooperate with any national organizations concerned with athlete agent issues and agencies in other states that register athlete agents to develop a common registration form, and to determine which states have laws substantially similar to or more restrictive than this act. The Director shall also exchange any information related to actions taken against registered athlete agents or their registrations with such organizations. (Section 436.227) An athlete agent registered under the provisions of this act may renew his or her registration as set forth in the act or, if the registration in the other state has been renewed, by submitting to the Director copies of the application for renewal in the other state and the renewed registration from the other state. The Director shall renew the registration if he or she determines that the application and registration requirements of the other state are substantially similar to or more restrictive than the requirements of this act, and if the registration has not been revoked or suspended and no action is pending against the applicant or the applicant's registration in any state. (Section 436.230) An agency contract shall contain a statement that the athlete agent is registered as an athlete agent in this state and shall include a list of any other states in which the athlete is registered as an athlete agent. This act modifies the text required in an agency contract, and requires such contract to be accompanied by a separate record signed by the student athlete or, if the student athlete is a minor, by the parent or guardian of a student athlete acknowledging that signing the contract may result in the loss of the student athlete's eligibility to participate in the student athlete's sport. If an agency contract is voided, by a student athlete, or by the parent or guardian of a minor student athlete, any consideration received by the student athlete from the athlete agent under the contract shall not be required to be returned. If a student athlete is a minor, an agency contract shall be signed by the parent or guardian of the minor. (Section 436.242) If an athlete agent enters into an agency contract with a student athlete, and the student athlete then enrolls in an educational institution, such athlete agent shall notify the athletic director of the institution of the existence of a contract within 72 hours of learning the student has enrolled. If an athlete agent has a relationship with a student athlete before such student enrolls in an educational institution and receives a scholarship, the athlete agent shall notify the athletic director of the institution of such relationship within 10 days of enrollment. An athlete agent shall give notice in a record to the athletic director of any educational institution at which a student athlete is enrolled before the agent communicates or attempts to communicate with the student athlete in an attempt to influence such student to enter into an agency contract, or another individual to have such person influence the student to enter into an agency contract. If a communication or attempted communication is initiated by a student athlete or another individual on behalf of the student athlete, the athlete agent shall give notice in a record to the athletic director at the educational institution at which the student athlete is enrolled within 10 days of the communication. An educational institution that becomes aware of a violation of the act by an athlete agent shall notify the Director of the violation and any professional league or players' association with which the educational institution is aware the agent is licensed or registered. (Section 326.245) An athlete agent, under this act, shall not intentionally provide any student athlete with false information with the intent to influence such athlete to enter into an agency contract, nor shall any agent furnish anything of value to an individual if to do so may result in the loss of the student athlete's eligibility to participate in a sport unless certain requirements are met. An athlete agent also may not intentionally initiate contact, directly or indirectly, with a student athlete to recruit or solicit the student athlete to enter into an agency contract, encourage another individual to perform any of the actions set forth in the act, or encourage another individual to assist any other individual performing the listed acts. (Section 436.254) An educational institution or a student athlete, under this act, may bring an action for damages against an athlete agent if the institution or athlete is adversely affected, as defined in the act, by an act or omission of the athlete agent. This act repeals the provision allowing a former student athlete to bring an action for damages. This act repeals provisions of current law setting forth the damages that may be claimed by an educational institution. Under this act, a plaintiff who prevails in an action under this act may recover actual damages, costs, and reasonable attorney's fees. An athlete agent found liable under this act forfeits any right of payment for anything of benefit or value provided to the student athlete and shall refund any consideration paid to the athlete agent by or on behalf of the student athlete. Any violation of this act shall be considered an unfair trade practice. (Section 436.260) Any individual who violates the provisions of this act shall be liable for a civil penalty up to $50,000. (Section 436.263) This act repeals the provision providing that the commission of certain acts by an athlete agent shall be a class B misdemeanor. (Section 436.257) These provisions are identical to SB 1016 (2020) and HCS/HBs 2100 & 1532 (2020), and to provisions contained in HCS/SCS/SBs 673 & 560 (2020). CAPITOL COMPLEX TAX CREDIT This act creates the Capitol Complex Tax Credit Act. The Capitol Complex Fund is authorized to receive any eligible monetary donation, as defined in the act, and shall be segregated into two accounts: a rehabilitation and renovation account, and a maintenance account. Ninety percent of the revenues deposited into the fund shall be placed in the rehabilitation and renovation account and seven and one-half percent of revenues deposited in the fund shall be placed in the maintenance account. The remaining two and one-half percent of the funds may be used for the purposes of fundraising, advertising, and administrative costs. The choice of projects for which money is to be used, as well as the determination of the methods of carrying out the project and the procurement of goods and services, shall be made by the Commissioner of Administration. No moneys shall be released from the fund for any expense without the approval of the Commissioner of Administration. For all taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2020, any qualified donor, as defined in the act, shall be allowed a credit against any state income tax (except employer withheld taxes) or state taxes imposed on financial institutions for an amount equal to fifty percent of the monetary donation amount. Any amount of tax credit that exceeds the qualified donor's state income tax liability may be refunded or carried forward for the following four years. For all taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2020, a qualified donor shall be allowed a credit against any state income tax (except employer withheld taxes) or state taxes imposed on financial institutions for an amount equal to thirty percent of the value of the eligible artifact donation, as defined in the act. Any amount of tax credit that exceeds the donor's tax liability shall not be refunded for artifacts, but the credit may be carried forward for four subsequent years. The Department of Economic Development shall not issue tax credits for donations to the Capitol Complex Fund in excess of $10 million per year in the aggregate. Donations received in excess of the cap shall be placed in line for tax credits the following year. Alternatively, a donor may donate without receiving the credit or may request that their donation is returned. Tax credits issued for donations under this act are not subject to any fee. Tax credits issued under this act may be assigned, transferred, sold, or otherwise conveyed. This act shall sunset six years after August 28, 2020, unless reauthorized by the General Assembly. (Section 620.3210) This act is substantially similar to SB 255 (2019) and to a provision contained in SB 545 (2018), HB 2691 (2018) and SCS/SB 6 (2017). These provisions are identical to SCS/SB 586 (2020) and HCS/HB 1713 (2020) and to provisions contained in HCS/SS/SCS/SB 570 (2020) and HCS/SS#2/SB 704 (2020), and are substantially similar to SB 255 (2019) and to a provision contained in SB 545 (2018), HB 2691 (2018) and SCS/SB 6 (2017). JOSH NORBERG